THE LOVE OF GOD TO HIS ELECT FAMILY. its mouth, and sealed it up from cursing (Gal. v. 24). Jesus Christ hath fulfilled the law whereby the large bills of indictment, which it had to charge are all cancelled; the repenting, returning soul hath now an everlasting Counsellor, a Righteous Advocate at God's right hand, and God's discharge within His own breast for acquittance; free grace doth clasp Him within her arms, as her heart's delight; mercy embraceth and embosoms Him as her dearest darling, and for grace and mercies sake the very Judge and justice itself, is become his friend. So that though he be found a breaker of the law, yet upon his hearty sorrow and amendment, by the Spirit, a pardon makes up that breach; and though he cannot keep the law, his righteousness is not the less complete, for he is complete in Christ, who hath outlawed the law, and turned the curse into a blessing. And, though a Christian cannot be justified by the law, yet the law itself cannot but clear him, and give him the white stone of absolution. Romans viii. 2; Galatians v. 8, 23. WHEN the all-blessed Spirit of the ever living and ever loving God hath given His testimony, and set His seal to the soul, which before sat quivering and trembling at the door of hope, that God doth own, accept, and pardon it, oh! what a calm there is in that soul; what halcyon days doth it then live in. It enjoys a jubilee every moment. Oh! the breathings and mutual interstreamings forth of love, that are between God and this soul. Time steals away and is not perceived; the soul is so busily employed in the contemplation of its blessed Redeemer; hours are not accounted for minutes, nor days for hours; it rather seems an eternity than time! The soul is ravished with the shining forth of the rays of light, and forgets itself in minding Him, and is ready to say, Am I in heaven, or is heaven in me? Is time gone up, or eternity come down? Methinks I hear my Beloved calling, "Arise, my love, my dove, and come away; let me see Thy face; for sweet is Thy voice, and Thy countenance is comely."-Canticles ii. 13, 14. Oh! how do the love-speaking words of Christ affect the heart and even transport The strength of sin, which is the law," the soul into admiration; all the pangs of being taken away, sin itself is the less the new birth, and all its sorrows are now dreadful. The Christian is already freed forgotten and swallowed up in ravishment from the reigning power of sin, though he and raptures of joy; the soul is so sur-be not as yet free from sinning (Rom. v. 7). rounded with the glittering rays of joy; it is even sick of love, while healed by it. Now it begins to feast itself on loves, and to cheer itself with the Bridegroom's voice (Can. iv. 7). My Beloved hath pronounced me fair, and there is no spot in me; now the day of my espousals is come, wherein all the hidden treasures, all the precious jewels, all the vast possessions, all the sparkling beauty, all the glorious holiness, all the Divine wisdom, all the all-sufficient power, yea, all the all of Christ is made over to me, saith the soul. What shall I now fear who am more than conqueror? What shall I want who have all things richly to enjoy? Who shall lay anything to my charge? Who shall hurt me? Who shall daunt me, who have the love of Jesus, and the power of my dear Saviour to guard me? Nothing shall separate between my Beloved and me, for "He is mine, and I am His for ever."Rom. viii, 35. The law is so far from being a Boanerges to such a soul, that it speaks him fair, and him blessed. It comes not to him as of old from Sinai, with terrible thunderings, but it passeth by as a still small voice, being silenced by Jesus Christ, who hath stopped He can therefore rejoice in spirit, though sin, an ill neighbour, dwell in flesh; he would not willingly sin against God that loves him, and yet he doubts not but God loves him upon his sincere and hearty sorsow, though he sin against him. It makes much to his grief that his heart is false, but it makes more to his joy that God is true; though his sin reach unto the clouds, the mercies of his God are above the heavens ; though his sin overflows him, yet the grace of his God overflows his sin; and though the ocean of sin be deep, yet the deep sea of God's mercies is boundless to the family of faith. As for his wants and troubles, he is not troubled at them, but bids all welcome with this, "The will of the Lord be done." He hath more comfort in his Benonies, though they be sons of sorrow, than others have in their Benjamins, though they be sons of the right hand; though it be sometimes low water with him, and his comforts ebb, yet the high spring of his joy and consolation are not lost, but swallowed up in the ocean of love, where they are reserved for him to an apppointed time. He would not be delighted in unless God will; 'tis the will of God he looks after, and how it comes he | thing, they want the comfort; and though cares not; whether clothed or naked, it is he want the thing, yet he hath the comfort, welcome; to have anything or nothing, to and therefore he can part with his dearest abound or to want, to rejoice or to be sorrow-employment, and trample upon his choicest ful, to be full or empty, to fast or to feast, comforts when God calls for them, as being to live or die—is all one to him who ac- more willing that God should be glorfied counts nothing his joy but this, To be in in their absence than himself comforted in all things as God would have him. He is their presence. If his comfort cannot be one that would not be at his own choice, wrapped up in the glory of God, he would but quiets himself in God's determination; have no comfort (2. Cor. i. 9, 10). He sees if God send him comforts, he accounts not abundance in want, he sees enjoyments them but God his comfort; and if God disappointments, health in sickness, life in take them away, he is not displeased, for death, and therefore he is never solicitous he is not comfortless in their absence. He what his condition may be; but with a holy knows he is always going to heaven, and carelessness and resignation, trusts himself whether his way be a paradise or a wilder- to God's disposing. When he is at the ness, whether strewed with roses or beset highest, God is his triumph, and so God is with thorns, it's all one to him. He loves when he is at the lowest. He is never nothing for its own sake, but anything as happy but in God, and he never wants God's allowance. If God will take him to happiness whatever befall him if he have heaven he will go, if God will have him his God.-Psalm lxxiii. 25. stay he will stay. If God move he moves; 1, Windsor street, if God stand still, he pitcheth his tent and stirs not. He often wants livelihood, and yet lives; for though others may have the Harrow road, Paddington. HOW SHALL I COME TO MY GRAVE? A FEW WORDS GATHERED OUT OF A SERMON PREACHED AT THE BAPTIST CHAPEL, OLD FORD, BOW. BY CHARLES WATERS BANKS. Occasioned by the Death of the late Mr. Moses Miller. JUNE 18TH, 1864. LAST Thursday afternoon we carried to the grave the mortal remains of our aged brother, Mr. Moses Miller, whose age was 79, or nearly, whose faith was well founded in the covenant God of Israel, and whose end was peace-only interrupted by the pains and struggles of a strong nature not easily surrendering to the cold, stern hand of death. I have known our departed friend rather closely for two years; but I have in that time known his history and experience for many years. He was a honest, devout, faithful, and truly God-fearing man; and I am constrained to ask you to unite with me in thanking the Lord, who so carefully and safely preserved him to the end. I have no uncommon thing to speak of respecting him. During the time we have lived as neighbours together, we often walked home together, and always talked of the best things. I am thankful I was enabled to administer to his comfort a little in lending him some of my best books to read. He loved Huntington's, Gill's, Owen's, and men of that stamp, and sometimes enjoyed their testimonies much. He Two things he said to me in his last days I will mention. First, very decidedly, one morning he said to me, "I have one thing to say to you." I asked him what it was. He said, "It is that you continue to preach the same things as you have done. looked unusually stern at me, and I almost feared he had discovered some little signs of declension in me. I said, "Do you at all suspect me?" He said, "No! not in the least." He told me that my ministry at times had been a great comfort to hini. Secondly, he said, "The Lord has given me a word," I thought he meant to die with, "It is this, Ye have continued with me in my temptations, and I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me.' It was a girdle to his heart, and raised him above all abiding fear. could walk with him in that one thing, he had been accustomed to seek for-and to receive words from the Lord; these were his spiritual meat and drink. I think I may say, Moses Miller fully realized both parts of that Scripture, In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths." He would often tell me he had had a word from the Lord; THEN he seemed glad. I When I was thinking of the funeral― those words in Isaiah came to me, "The righteous is taken away from the evil to come." The margin says "taken from that which is evil.” There is truth in that translation. An unbelieving heart is an evil; a world blighted by sickness, sin, and death, is an evil; and there may be evil days on the earth for Zion yet, but Moses Miller is taken from them all. When I thought to speak a few words this evening, the text came to me, "Thou shalt come to thy grave in a full age, as a shock of corn cometh in his season." And, therefore, I shall try and speak a word or two, I. To shew the meaning of the words. II. To notice they are addressed positively to persons, some of whom may be present. I may look at some of you, and say, "Thou shalt come to thy grave in a full age," &c. The subject in the text is A HAPPY DEATH. It was said, "No man is to be accounted happy until he come to die." A man may live in good estate circumstantially, morally, and professedly, and yet not die in union to Christ, because all the time he lived he was dead. So, on the other hand, a man may live under great temptations all his life, yet God may favor him with solid peace and pardon in the end. The words of the text we may divide into two parts. 1. The Declarative: "Thou shalt come to thy grave." 2. The Illustrative or Descriptive: how shall I come to my grave? Ah! that is a question indeed. It would do a man no harm if, in connection with faith in Jesus Christ, he should every night lie down with this solemn declaration, "I must come to my grave; " and every morning rise up with this weighty question, How shall I come to my grave? Constant meditation on the things needful for a happy death might be useful. Eliphaz is describing a good man, a man whom God hath saved, corrected, redeemed, delivered, and hidden; to such an one Eliphaz says, "Thou shalt come to thy grave in a full age, like a shock of corn in his season." So there is a wide difference between despair and presumption dragging a soul down to destruction, and a blessed faith in Jesus, and love to God, drawing a living soul, so that that soul really says, "Lo! glad I come!" Our brother did really come to his grave. Yes! I think he had some desires for heaven, ere the time did come. But now, Secondly, how shall the truly godly man come to his grave? (1.) "In a full age." Ever since brother Moses Miller died, I have had Barzillia coming to my mind. He lived to a full age naturally; and if you would see a fair sample of an old Testament saint who came to his grave in a full age, just look at him. I know Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and others came to a good old age; but I am looking at a kind of representative man of the average character of the saints. 1. When David was in great distress Barzillia succoured him; when David was returning to Jerusalem, he pressed Barzillia to go with him, but Barzillia, in a humble, grateful, prudent spirit, begged to be allowed to return home; he said, "I am this day fourscore:" not qualified either to act as a counseller, or to enjoy the court, so he begs to be permitted to return, and die in his own city, be buried beside his own father and mother; yet he would see David over Jordan, and then send his son Chimnam with the king. Here is a good old man; and David kissed and blessed him. Eliphaz might be an Arminian preacher, but he certainly laid out before Job some things which the Lord gives unto and works in His people. in order to produce their ripeness for His kingdom. The following note, written by our departed brother's only son, Mr. Aaron Miller, will briefly illustrate the truth of the text: "Thou shalt come to the grave in a full age." I read the following note at the close of the sermon : "MY DEAR PASTOR,-You wish me to give you a few lines respecting my dear departed father. It pleased God to call him in early life to a knowledge of himself, and a realization of an interest in Jesus. The Lord took him very gently in hand, giving Look at the Declaration, "Thou shalt him to consider his ways, and to turn come to thy grave." That is true of all, to the Lord, which he first attempted and how soon none can tell. But here is a by his own works, but finding this way fail, pleasant meaning opposite to many; for can the Lord led him to see the plan of salvaa man come willingly, cheerfully, gladly, tion, and being situated among servants and longingly unto his grave, if he can see who knew not the Lord, he often retired to nothing but death? Nay! Did not Eliza- outhouses and quiet places to pour out his beth cry out to her physicians to save her? soul to the Lord for the pardon of sin, and Did not a king once cry, "A horse, a horse, these words were applied one day after my kingdom for a horse!" Did not even prayer, "I have blotted out thy transgresDavid in that 39th Psalm cry out, "O spare sion as a thick cloud, and as a cloud thy me a little, that I may recover my strength sins. Speaking of this he says, 'How soon before I go hence, and be no more seen." did the old enemy rob me of my comfort; he told me it was for the people of God in olden times, and not for such a bad sinner; that I was too great a sinner for so great a blessing; but I have proved him a liar many times; the Lord has been better to me than all my fears, He has given me to overcome Satan by the blood of the Lamb, and nothing but the blood of the Lamb can make this old enemy flee!' "My father sat under a legal ministry three or four years, where he was baptized. He was then led to hear amongst the despised of God's poor people those truths of Sovereign saving grace. From what I have gathered at different times, he for some time walked in the enjoyment of those truths which were very scarce in those days, sometimes only to be had once a month, and a long distance to travel. there was such a spirit of love between those two I think seldom seen. He was always a man of meditation, exercised with temporal difficulties, walking steadily in the ways of the Lord, living upon inward sup plies of grace from day to day. For the last three years he has been No sickly moon emits her feeble rays; He said his soul had a longing to be there, "They die in Jesus and are blest, How kind their slumbers are.' "After some few years there was an evident decline, a worldly spirit, followed by domestic affliction, the loss of my brother, and then my mother; but a constant meeting with the people of God whenever opportunity offered. I have heard him relate how the Lord mercifully delivered him. Being at Ramsden, an old friend said, "Moses, there is a boy preaches at Galeswood He expressed his confidenoe for the most Common; go and hear him; I believe he is part right through, although I believe there right." My father could not find the place were at times sharp conflicts with the enemy, in the morning; he then went to get some for he said to me once, The enemy has refreshment, when some whom he knew been very busy with me to-day.' At another came in for their dinner; he secluded him- time he said, 'My sin is before me.' self, and prepared to follow them, his mind often tried to speak and did, but we could being in distress, he did not wish to make not understand his faltering voice; but himself known. When he got in, and Mr. this we know, he is safely landed on the Way, late of Cave Adullum, began prayer, happy shore of eternal glory. I have lost a the oil ran, and he gave out this text: praying father, the Church a praying memFor the gift of God is eternal life, through ber. Oh! that we may be prepared to Jesus Christ our Lord.' This was a jubilee follow him. So prays yours affectionately to his soul-never forgotten; and ever after "A. MILLER." Не The Surrey Tabernacle EXPOSITION OF ISAIAH, LII. 1–8. BY MR. JAMES WELLS, MINISTER OF THE SURREY TABERNACLE, BOROUGH ROAD. "Awake, awake, put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city. SEE what a beautiful line there is here of Christian experience and of Gospel truth. What is it to put on our strength? to put on strength is to put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and to have all that confidence in him which his power to save authorizes us to have, to have all that confidence in him which his acceptance with God authorizes us to have. And thus by this confidence in Christ, God is on our side, and if God be on our side, then we are relatively and eternally omnipotent. And what is it to put on the beautiful garments? The beautiful garments of holiness and of righteousness; the putting off of unholiness, and the putting on of Christ as our sanctification, the putting off of unrighteousness, and the putting on by faith of the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ. Then comes the safety: "For henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean.” Heathen nations entered from time to time into the literal Jerusalem, and ulti- O Jerusalem." Arise from earth, and sit down in places that are heavenly; arise from the law, and sit down upon the premises of the Gospel; arise from creature things, and sit down at the Saviour's feet, and listen to the eternal realities of the mercy of God. And then comes the liberty: "Loose thyself from the bands of thy neck." And Jesus Christ is our liberty; it is by him we are free from all heaven's threatenings, it is by him we are free in every respect in which he himself is free. And then comes the redemption: "Ye have sold yourselves for nought; and ye "He shall not fail nor he discouraged, till he have out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people that are upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein." the Lord puts his name before his truth, and he puts his name after his truth; the one to shew us he is the author of the Gospel, and the other to shew us that the Gospel will rest eternally upon the strength of his name. Now here are these seven things I have named to you; here is the strength, the beauty, and safety, the change of position, the liberty, the redemption, and the Lord's interposition. Now then, if we are brought into this strength of the Gospel, we shall want something to keep us there; we shall want some thing to live upon when we are there. Hence the next words: "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet "That publisheth peace; that bringeth good Now what watchmen are these, but the apostles; the apostles lifted up the voice of truth together, and they sang together, there was entire harmony between them; and the apostles were the watchmen that saw eye to eye, and it was in their day that the Lord brought again Zion. Zion in the first Adam went away from God; but in the apostolic age God in an especial large manIf we are brought down into Egypt, for what ner brought again Zion unto himself. And is this world but a kind of Egypt, a scene of these watchmen, the apostles, saw eye to bondage, of affliction, and of tribulation, eye. They read each other's writings, and where the people of God are oppressed? when one read the writings of the other he Now here, in contrast to this, the Lord says found nothing in those writings that he that his people shall know his name, could find fault with; he found nothing that "Therefore my people shall know my name;" he wished to be absent, hence saith the that is, they shall know that name recorded apostle Peter, "Our beloved brother Paul in the 3rd of Exodus; "I am that I am;" in all his epistles." But how could Peter they shall know that name that is recorded know that if he had not read them? He in the 34th of Exodus; "The Lord God, had therefore read them; he read the revemerciful and gracious;" and they shall lations that were given to his brethren. So know my name as recorded in the 1st of they read the revelations made to cach Matthew: "His name shall be called Jesus, other, the same as Christians should do now. and his name shall be called Emmanuel." And they not only read the revelations Now my people shall know this. And made to each other, but they also read each "they shall know in that day that I am he other; the same as Christians should do that doth speak, behold, it is I;" that is, now. Christians are spoken of as epistles, they shall know God's truth. They shall in which are written the vitalities of know that I am he that doth speak;" that eternity; and they read each other as well as I speak of love eternal, that I speak of each other's revelations, and they saw eye election sovereign, that I speak of eternal to eye. There never will be down to the salvation certain. "Behold, it is I." So end of time another such order of men as 46 |